Sewing-machine.



S. W. AVIS.

SEWiN'G MACHINE APPLICATION FILED r55. 18. 1916.

' Patented 0015.16, 1917.

56 'F'F'gll.

K la I 64 .5 g 3 0 4 9 H s AT'ruRNEY-s TINITED TATE8 PATENT @FFICE.

SAMUEL w. AVIS, or HARTFORD, ONNECTICUT, nssiornon To THE MEBROW MACHINECOMPANY, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT. A CORPORATION or CONNECTICUT.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 191.7.

Application filed February 18,1916. Serial No. 79,146.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL W. Avis, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Hartford, county of Hartford, State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSewing-Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures ofreference marked thereon.

This invention relates to sewing machines. For high speed operation asewing machine of the Merrow type has been developed wherein certainelements of the presser foot mechanism and trimming mechanism .areaxially supported for oscillatory movement. By making the axialalinement of these elements coincident, a considerable economy of spaceis effected, in a manner to permit of the employment of amply suflicientbearing surfaces for the oscillating parts, without the sacrifice ofcompact and symmetrical design.

The primary object of my invention is the provision in novel form of theelements mentioned whereby an efficie'nt mechanism may be constructed offew parts simply arranged. Other objects of the invention willhereinafter appear. In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1, is an end view of that type of the Merrow sewing machine inwhich my invention is shown incorporated.

Fig. 2, is a view in projection of a shaft and certain parts supportedthereby, the shaft being separated and longitudinally extended to afforda spacing of the parts for their comprehensive representation.

Fig. 3, is a plan View showing certain parts in section on line 3 3 ofFig. 1, and,-- Fig. 4%, is a sectional detail View on line H of Fig. 3.

Similar parts are designated by similar characters of referencethroughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, mention may first be briefly made of certainelements characteristic ofthe overseaming machine shown,to wit :thecurved eyepointed oscillatory needle 1, upper looper 2, lower l p r kupp rt and need plat 5.

The feeding mechanism includes feed dogs 6, 7 and 8, adapted to beactuated to effect a differential feed by eccentrically driven membersindicated in a general way by 9, all in a manner quite familiar to thoseversed in the sewing machine art.

Mechanism more particularly involved in connection with the presentinvention as embodied in the machine illustrated, i11- cludes thepresser foot 10, and the trimming cutter, 11. In performing theirrespective functions these elements, operating in proX- imity to theneedle plate 5, are required to move but slightly, and the movement ineach case may consist of a reciprocatory one effected at substantiallyright angles to the plane of the work engaging surface of the needleplate. In the present case I provide for these required movements byassociating with the presser foot a carrier designated in a general wayby 12, and with the cutter, a carrier designated in a general way by 13.These carriers are mounted for oscillatory movement, and in order thatthe paths traversed respectively by the presser foot and cutter shallnot be diverted appreciably from the vertical with respect to the needleplate, the fulcrums of said carriers are located relatively remote fromthe presser foot and the cutter and extend longitudinally in a planesubstantially coincident with that of the work engaging surfaceof theneedle plate. These fulcrums may be embodied in a single shaft, as 14:supported in a bracket 15, secured to the rear side of the machine frame16. As shown bracket 15, is divided into three bearings 17, 18 and 19.

The cutter carrier 13, is secured to shaft 1 1 by a set screw 20,threaded into the cutter carrier hub 21, which hub extending betweenbearings 17 and 18 prevents longitudinal movement of both the carrierand the shaft, although this carrier may be rocked together with theshaft about the longitudinal aXis of the latter. The bearings 17 and 18,are connected by a web 22, which forms a housing 23, for the cuttercarrier hub 21. Through a hole 25, in web 22, access may be had to setscrew 20. The open side of housing 23, registers with an opening 26, inthe machine frame 16, which open-' in accommodates the cutter carriershank. Withinthe machine frame there is provided for actuating thecutter carrier 13', mecha:

nism which includes the rotative shaft 27, eccentric 28, rigid with saidshaft, and the block 29, which block is slidably mounted in an opening30, of said carrier. At the extreme outer or free end of the cuttercarrier a lateral extension 31, projects therefrom, in

Which is formed a guideway 32; to adjust-' ably receive the support 33,to which is clamped the cutter 11. The extension 31, projects through anopening 34, in the machine frame so that the cutter 11, may c0- operatewith a lower cutter 35, in proximity to the stitch forming elements.

The presser foot carrier 12, which associates shaft 14, with the presserfoot, is made up of the presser foot arm 37, and yoke 38. The yoke 38mounted for free oscillatory movement on shaft 14, is prevented fromendwise movement on said shaft by the end segments 39 and 40, which arespaced to engage the outer faces respectively of bearings 17 and 18.This arrangement also pro vides ample bearing surfaces, advantageouslydisposed to maintain a precise though free action of the presser foot,whose connection to the yoke 38, will now be more fully described. Aboss 41, on the end segment 39, projects somewhat beyond the end of themachine frame from above the end of shaft 14, and is preferablychanneled as at 42, to re ceive the presser foot arm 37, which is secured by screws 43. It will be observed that this mode of attaching thepresser foot to the yoke provides an unobstructed passage for work asitis fed from the stitching elements.

The free end of arm 37, is slightly offset downwardly or toward the workplate, and laterally extended to form the projection 44, which isrounded on its under side to engage the presser foot 10, the latterbeing provided with a concave seat 45, to receive said projection.Secured to presser foot 10, by a screw 46, is a clamp 47, having afinger 48, which extends into a notch 49, in projec tion 44. Said clampis preferably in the nature of a spring and serves to retain theprojection 44, in close relation with the seat 45, thereby forming apivotal connection between the presser foot arm and the presser footwhereby the latter is perfectly free to assume, under the influence of aspring 50, a desired relation to the work plate and the work supportedthereupon.

The spring 50 is carried by a bracket 51, secured to the end'of themachine frame, one end of the spring being somewhat freely maintainedupon a lug 52, of bracket 51, by a screw 53, while at its other end thespring bears against the top of the presser foot arm near the free endof the latter. A second lug 54,'projecting from bracket 51, at a pointintermediate the ends of spring 50, is notched at 55, to engage thesides of said spring, thereby insuring its alinement with presser footarm 37. Means for varying the tension of spring 50, may consist of theadjusting screw 56, which is tapped into lug 54, so that its point maybear against said spring. Any desired adjustment of screw 56, may bemaintained by a set screw as 56.

With the mechanism thus far set forth there can be associated verysimple presser foot lifting means which may include lever 57, mounted onshaft 14, adjacent to the inner face of bearing 19, against which thehub of lever 57, may be held by the segment 40, of yoke 38, so that saidlever is simply free to move rotatively with respect to shaft 14, andnot-longitudinally thereof. A slot 58 in lever 57, is adapted to engagea pin 59, projecting from segment 40, 0f yoke 38, whereby movement oflever 57, may be transmitted to yoke 38, in a manner to lift the presserfoot arm as will be readily understood. Normally, yoke 38,is relieved ofthe weight of lever 57, by a spring (not shown) which tends to movelever 57, in a contrary direction to that required to lift the presserfoot.

It will be obvious to'those skilled in the art that my invention is notlimited to the exact form, arrangement and application shown.

Having described my invention, what I claim and wish to secure byLetters Patent is 1 I 1. In a sewing machine, the combination ofosclllatory elements mcludmga presser foot carrier and a cutter carrierwith their I pivotal axes coincident.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination of oscillatory elementsincluding a presser foot carrier, a cutter carrier, and apresser footcarrier lifting lever with their pivotal axes coincident.

3. In a sewing machine, the combination of oscillatory elementsincluding a presser foot carrier, a cutter carrier, and a presser footcarrier liftlng lever with the1r plvotal axes coincident, each of saidelements being independently operable with respect to the others.

4. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle plate, a presserfoot, a presser foot carrier, and a cutter carrier, the two lastmentioned elements being mounted for oscillatory movement and havingcoincident pivotal axes in a plane substantially coincident with thework engaging surface of the needle plate.

5. 'In a sewing machine, the combination with oscillatory elementsincluding a presser foot carrier and a cutter carrier having coincidentpivotal axes, of a needle plate, a

presser foot, means for yieldingly pressing the presser foot carriertoward the needle plate, and means for actuating the cutter carrler.

6. In a sew ng machme, the comb natlon with oscillatory elementsincluding a presser foot carrier and a cutter carrier having coincidentpivotal axes, of a needle plate, a presser foot, a spring for yieldinglypressing the presser foot carrier toward the needle plate, means foradjusting the tension of said spring and means for actuating the cuttercarrier.

7 In a sewing machine, the combination of a rock shaft, a presser footcarrier, and a cutter carrier, one of said carriers being rigid with theshaft and the other free to oscillate upon the shaft.

8. In a sewing machine, the combination of a shaft, a presser footcarrier and a cutter carrier. said carriers being supported by the shaftand independently operable.

9. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle plate, a brackethaving separated bearings alined in a plane substantially coincidentwith the work engaging surface of the needle plate, a rock shaftsupported by said bearings, a presser foot carrier and a cutter carrier,one of the last mentioned elements being rigid with the shaft and theother free to oscillate upon the shaft.

10. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle plate, a shaftoffset from the line of stitching and extending transversely theretosubstantially in a plane coincident with the work engaging surface ofthe needle plate, a support for the shaft, a presser foot, and a presserfoot carrier, the latter being associated with the shaft on oppositesides of the support for the shaft.

11. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle plate, a shaftoffset from the line of stitching and longitudinally extended in a planesubstantially coincident with the work engaging surface of the needleplate, a support for the shaft, a yoke associated with the shaft onopposite sides of the support, a presser foot and a presser foot armseparably connected to the yoke.

12. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle plate, a shaftoffset from the line of stitching and longitudinally extended in a.plane substantially coincident with the work engaging surface of theneedle plate, a support for the shaft, a yoke associated with the shafton opposite sides of the support, a presser foot, and an arm connectingthe presser foot with the yoke, said arm extending in a plane above theplane of the work engaging surface of the needle plate whereby thepassage for work fed away from the stitching elements is of ampleextent.

13. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle plate, a shaftofi'set from the line of stitching and extending in a planesubstantially coincident with the work engaging surface of the needleplate, a presser foot, a

presser foot arm removed from the plane of the work engaging surface ofthe needle plate, means for associating the presser foot arm with theshaft, a flat spring for yieldingly pressing the presser foot arm towardthe needle plate, a support for the spring and means for engaginglateral opposed sides of said spring intermediate its ends to maintainits alinement with the presser foot arm.

14. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle plate, a rock shaftoffset from the line of stitching and longitudinally extended in a planesubstantially coincident with the work engaging surface of the needleplate, a support for the shaft, a yoke associated with the shaft onopposite sides of the support, a presser foot associated with the yoke,and a lever for moving the yoke, said lever being mounted on the shaftand the lever and yoke being independent of movement of the shaft.

15. In a sewing machine, and in combination with the frame thereof, ashaft, a cutter carrier supported by said shaft and operable within themachine frame, a support for the shaft adapted to form a housingcommunicating with the interior of the machine frame and a presser footcarrier associated with the shaft on opposite sides of said housing.

16. In a sewing machine, the combination of a rock shaft, a support forthe rock shaft, a yoke engaging the shaft on opposite sides of thesupport, a presser foot associated with the yoke, and a cutter carriermounted on the shaft between the ends of the yoke.

17. In a sewing machine, the combination of a rock shaft, a support forthe rock shaft,

and elements supported by the rock shaft ineluding a presser footcarrier, a cutter carrier and a presser foot carrier actuating lever,one of said elements being rigid with the shaft.

SAMUEL IV. AVIS.

Witnesses F. E. ANDERSON, F. W. SPELLMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

